Thanks, Obama: U.S. Firearms and Ammunition Production Reaches All-Time High

It’s no surprise that the ebb and flow of gun and ammunition production closely follows the changing political landscape in America. The most significant peaks in production are seen leading up to the 1994 “Assault Weapons Ban,” and after the election of President Obama. Although he didn’t advance a gun control agenda in his first term, production has been on a steady and dramatic rise throughout his presidency—reaching an all-time high.

Source: Sources National Shooting Sports Foundation; IBISWorld

Frank Pompa, Janet Loehrke and Denny Gainer, USA TODAY

Since the administration’s push for gun control in the wake of Newtown, however, supply has not been able to keep up with demand. Stag Arms, for example, is so overwhelmed they’ve actually stopped taking orders and the company’s president Mark Malkowski says they’re not alone—“It’s like this across the industry.” While it’s good for business for now, if new gun legislation comes to fruition that could all change.

"This administration represents the most serious threat to the industry since the 1990s," said Larry Keane, the National Shooting Sports Foundation's general counsel, referring to Congress' enactment of the decade-long assault weapons ban that expired in 2004. "The stakes are very high."

From manufacturing to sales, the overall firearms industry employs nearly 100,000 people in the U.S, providing roughly $4 billion in wages.